9 Common Slip and Fall Neck Injuries: Plymouth Slip and fall Lawyer

Most slip and fall accidents occur due to negligence and they can cause 9 types of neck injuries. If you suffer any kind of slip and fall neck injuries, it’s important to not only seek medical advice but to also seek legal advice. You see in most cases, slip and fall accidents are caused by negligence of landowners so seeking legal advice will not only prevent future slip and fall accidents but they will also deter landowners from being negligent.

9 Types of Slip and Fall Neck Injuries

Sometimes neck injuries are called cervical spine injuries and they can be either severe or mild. It’s important to note that neck injuries don’t mean other parts of the body have not been injured. Most likely, you’ll find someone with a neck injury has some other type of injury such as a ligament or a muscle strain. As you know, the neck is connected to other parts of the body

Most of the time, neck injuries involve soft tissue injuries and in some cases, they might involve the spinal cord. The roots that affect the spinal cord in such instances get damaged and in other situations, they may have been stretched or pinched. One of the reasons why neck injuries are difficult to diagnose or treat is because nerve pain is hard to diagnose. Neck injuries might result in paralysis or death.

Below are the different types of slip and fall neck injuries and we have divided them into two:

Slip and Fall Neck Injuries Affecting the Nervous System

Whiplash Associated Disorders

Whiplash is a condition caused by a sudden movement of the head. The neck is first extended forward then quickly snapped backwards. Whiplash is associated with car accidents but they can also result from a slip and fall accident. Whiplash, however, is not a medical diagnosis and only describes what led to the neck pain. Whiplash can damage the joints or the discs and potentially cause a spinal cord injury. Some of the most common symptoms of whiplash include:

Stiffness

Disturbed sleep

Generalized pain

Weakness

Numbness

Tingling down the arm

These symptoms will not appear immediately. They might appear a day or two after your slip and fall accident.

Herniated Disc

This happens when the inner core of the vertebral disc is pushed outwards. If the soft substance found inside the discs touches the nerves, you will begin to experience pain, numbness and weakness. If you have a herniated disc on your neck, you will experience the symptoms mentioned down your arm. Herniation occurs when the outer fiber of the neck tears when the joint is suddenly twisted or placed under great pressure. If you twist your body during a fall, you could suffer from a herniated disc and treatment involves strong painkillers physical therapy and sometimes surgery.

Stingers and Burners

This is a temporary injury on the brachial plexus and it stings and burns. This is a very common slip and fall neck injury where people land sideways or fall on their back. The injury happens when the head and the shoulders move in opposite directions simultaneously or when the head abruptly tilts. Symptoms of this injury include:

Burning

Weakness

Stinging

Numbness

Electrical sensation in one arm

You should seek medical assistance if any of the above symptoms last for more than a few minutes. If you don’t seek medical treatment, you might have a more severe injury if your neck gets injured a second time.

Neck Fracture

When your cervical bone breaks, you get a neck fracture. The type of fracture and its severity depends on the angle of force that happened during the fall. Elderly people or those who have osteoporosis are at a much higher risk of suffering from a neck fracture because of a slip and fall accident. Treatment will depend on the age of the victim, if they have any pre-existing medical conditions and how severely the spine has been damaged.

Cervical Dislocation

This slip and fall neck injury occurs when the neck bone moves out of its position causing the spine to destabilize. A fall can completely displace a neck bone forward, rapturing the ligaments and sometimes causing damage to the spinal cord. Treatment is usually done through surgery but if the bone is not fully displaced outwards, the injury might be less severe. The good news is that treatment can return the bone back to its normal position although you will have to wear a collar brace for some time.

Spinal Cord Injury

This happens when a neck injury damages the spinal cord. If the injury affects the 3rd or higher cervical vertebrae, it might result in death. If you survive such an injury, you might need a permanent respirator. If you suffer a spinal cord injury, you might be fully or partially paralyzed for the rest of your life. Treatment for a spinal cord injury is critical not only for survival but to also preserve your own quality of life.

Slip and Fall Soft Tissue Neck Injury

Kink in the Net

You might associate a kink in the neck as that feeling you get when you wake up in the morning after sleeping in an awkward position the entire night. A slip and fall accident can cause a sudden movement in your neck, leading to a kink. A kink refers to a muscle spasm, trigger points or a disc problem. Usually this sort of condition resolves itself within a few days with some at home care but if it lasts for more than a week then you should see a doctor.

Muscle Strain

In most cases, you will feel the strain in your lower back but it can also affect your neck. Muscle strain happens when the muscles in charge of moving your spine are injured. Treatment involves over the counter medicine and restriction to certain movements.

Neck Sprain

This is probably one of the most common slip and fall neck injuries. The sudden fall overstretches the neck joint. If you have severe neck pains, you should seek medical help immediately but if you have moderate to minor pains, you can take an over the counter painkiller and put some ice on the affected area.

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About Kevin

My name is Kevin P. Landry, and I am a personal injury attorney. I help people who are hurting, suffering or being taken advantage of. I also help families through unexpected deaths, and other traumatic events.